Are you concerned about the toothpaste that you are using? Are you using Crest toothpaste? Buyer beware, there are some microbeads in the toothpaste and they are made of plastic. They have been deemed safe by the American Dental Association and the Food and Drug Administration. Patients have found that the blue microbeads have been stuck under the gums. However as concerns are increasing, Procter and Gamble has vowed to remove the microbeads by 2016. Learn more about it by reading the above link.

According to a new publication in the Journal of American Heart Association, people who take care of their gums are less likely to have heart problems. This study showed that patients with healthier gums had slowed plaque build up in the arteries of the heart. Make sure to visit your dentist regularly.

Brush up on your at-home flossing technique! If flossing is not apart of your at-home dental care routine already, now is the time to incorporate it! Flossing removes particles of food and plaque from the areas where the toothbrush cannot reach. Plaque can get left behind between your teeth and under the gum-line if you do not floss daily which can lead to cavities and gum disease. When flossing remember to:

Start with 15 inches of floss, wind floss around each index finger, leaving a two inches of floss to work with